A few months ago, we had a request from a listener Suzebc who said ‘Can you do an episode on Vulval lichen sclerosus please?’
So we asked the wonderful Clare Baumhauer, who featured In series 5 episode 2 when she spoke about Vulval Cancer. In that episode we touched on Lichen sclerosus and how, if it goes undiagnosed for a long time it can lead to Vulval Cancer, as indeed it did for Clare.

According to the Nottingham University Clinical Trials Unit Vulval Lichen Sclerosus (LS) is a chronic inflammatory condition, with incidence peaking in childhood and postmenopause. Reported prevalence is up to 3%, affecting around 1 million women in the UK. Inflammation causes whitening of vulval tissue, bleeding under the skin, texture change and cuts. Patients report itching, pain (particularly during sex) and discomfort in daily activities. Untreated LS can cause progressive loss of vulval architecture. Scarring may occur early in the disease and is irreversible without surgery. LS persisting beyond puberty may prevent normal vulval anatomical development.
And Clare Baumhauer was Diagnosed with Vulval lichen sclerosus and stage 3 Vulval cancer at 43 but had first noticed symptoms at the age of 5 years old.
She now spends most of her spare time raising awareness around Vulval Cancer and lichen sclerosus.
Clare joins us again to tell us about her own experience of Lichen sclerosus, the symptoms and treatments and everything we should ALL know about this condition.